Mississippi River Restoration Program Goals
Historically, there have been significant human-caused environmental impacts along the Mississippi River, unfortunately only minimal environmental restoration activities have occurred. The Illinois portion of the river has been no exception to this poor situation. Although there have been noteworthy but relatively modest and spotty restoration works ongoing since the mid-1980s, without a major increase in long-term restoration efforts virtually every river system expert believes the river will further degrade.
The primary focus of the Prairie Rivers Network (PRN) program will be upon increasing awareness and improving conditions for restoration activities to occur along the Mississippi and Illinois River’s area within Illinois. Our program dedicates a River Restoration Coordinator specifically to organizing others to accomplish the goals related to improving river restoration in the state.
PRN will network within the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) and work within the state to promote an engaged and mobilized citizenry on behalf of the river system and restoration; to educate and seek the support of decision makers within the state; to seek increased funding to support restoration efforts; and to press for protection and restoration of wetlands, side channels, and wildlife corridors as the priority in forums where decisions regarding planning for and expenditure of restoration dollars are being decided.
Local and State Level UMRS Restoration Work
Geographically we will focus our efforts on both a local and state levels. At the local level we will be working with local people and organizations to improve the river environment within their area. At the state level we will concentrate upon increasing the awareness and involvement of state and regional organizations in regards to the UMRS.
Local Level Project Goals
Potential local level river restoration efforts cover a wide range of activities. Prairie Rivers Network will focus upon increasing local involvement in restoration issues. We envision our primary work will be in organizing interested local groups to get involved with restoration efforts limited only by the extent they want to be involved and by their own capabilities. The minimum level of local involvement we will pursue is for the groups to raise local awareness of the ecological problems associated with the river. Along with this we will encourage them to support our efforts to increase both state and federal funding for restoration work.
State Level UMRS Restoration Work
PRN will work on several goals at the state level with the priorities revolving around organizing and restoration funding. If there is time we will expand the effort into flood plain restoration. Specifically, these goals are described below:
Organizing Illinois environmental groups to focus upon river restoration efforts and related issues.
Working to increase local and state funding of river restoration efforts required to meet at least minimum state cost sharing responsibilities.
Environmental Management Program (EMP)
Upper Mississippi River Management Act of 1986
“To ensure the coordinated development and enhancement of the Upper Mississippi River system, it is hereby declared to be the intent of Congress to recognize that system as a nationally significant ecosystem and a nationally significant commercial navigation system. Congress further recognizes that the system provides a diversity of opportunities and experiences. The system shall be administered and regulated in recognition of its several purposes.”
Within the UMRS the EMP established two programs:
- a program for the planning, construction, and evaluation of measures for fish and wildlife Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement (HREP); and
- implementation of a Long-Term Resource Monitoring, computerized data inventory and analysis, and applied research program (LTRMP).
Funding and Activities
Authorization funding for EMP was approximately $20 million from 1989 to 1998 and over $33 million since 1999 but has never been fully funded. Since 1999 the funding has actually trended lower than during the 1989 to 1998 period.
Through Water Resources Development Acts the US Army Corps of Engineer (USACE) has been tasked with performing environmental studies and habitat restorations along the UMRS, which typically involve the manipulation of hydrology and the restoration of wetlands and riparian habitats. On federal lands all planning, design and construction costs are paid by the federal government but on non-federal land local funding cost sharing at between 25 and 35 percent is required.
Project Locations
72 projects have been identified during the 20 years of the EMP. The USACE map below shows the locations and status of these projects as of June 2006.
Navigation and Environmental Sustainability Program (NESP)
NESP combines both Navigation Improvements with Ecosystem Restoration into a single long-term program on both the UMR and Illinois River. Its authorization is being negotiated within Congress as of Fall 2006. General current components of NESP are listed below:
Navigation Improvements: Capital costs of $2.4 billion for 7 new 1,200 foot-long locks, potentially 5 lock extensions, up to 7 new moorings and up to 8 new switchboats at locks.
Ecosystem Restoration: $5.72 billion for 1,010 projects over a 50 year period, $4.25 billion fully federally-funded.
More information on this program will be added in the near future.
Source: USACE, UMR-IWW System Navigation Feasibility Study Final Integrated Feasibility Report and PEIS (September 2004)